Statement on Google Settlement with Department of Justice

Washington, D.C. (August 24, 2011) — Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Vice President Karl Uhlendorf issued the following statement today regarding Google’s settlement with the Department of Justice:

“Today’s announcement by the Department of Justice confirms the high risks associated with purchasing medicines over the Internet.

“Specifically, today's settlement makes clear that Internet drug sellers that allow purchasers to obtain medicines without a valid prescription can expose consumers to unapproved and potentially counterfeit medicines from all over the world. The settlement also reinforces a 2005 FDA investigation that demonstrated that drugs promoted as being sourced from ‘Canadian’ pharmacies actually came from 27 other countries around the globe.